Artist{40 s collapsible wall and table mountable easel

ABSTRACT

An artist&#39;&#39;s collapsible easel has been provided which can be mounted either on a table or upon a wall and wherein the frames of the same can be angled and rigidly held in the angled positions against collapse upon one another by slide plates having lateral projectons that can adjustably engage between the side edges of the frames close to the point of the pivot bolt connection between the frames and thereby eliminate the need for the usual links or easel brackets at remote positions from their pivot connections with one another and thereby provide for an artist&#39;&#39;s easel of the collapsible type which is more compact and without so many parts. U-shaped base and canvas supporting frames are formed of regular tubular or bar stock and brackets for engagment with the upper and lower edges of the artist&#39;&#39;s canvas frame are connected in an adjustable manner upon the legs of the canvas supporting frame, while the free ends of the frame legs are joined together by the pivot bolt connections and held against collapse by the lateral projections of slide plates held in common with leg ends and the same pivot bolts.

United States Patent 1191 Sena [451 Mar. 26, 1974 ARTISTS COLLAPSIBLEWALL AND TABLE MOUNTABLE EASEL [76] Inventor: Joseph Sena, 36-27 12thSt., Long Island City, NY. 11106 [22] Filed: July 13, 1972 [21] Appl.No.: 271,217

Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz Attorney, Agent, or Firm- LaforestS. Saulsbury; William T. Hough ABSTRACT An artists collapsible easel hasbeen provided which can be mounted either on a table or upon a wall andwherein the frames of the same can be angled and rigidly held in theangled positions against collapse upon one another by slide plateshaving lateral projectons that can adjustably engage between the sideedges of the frames close to the point of the pivot bolt connectionbetween the frames and thereby eliminate the need for the usual links oreasel brackets at remote positions from their pivot connections with oneanother and thereby provide for an artists easel of the collapsible typewhich is more compact and without so many parts. U-shaped base andcanvas supporting frames are formed of regular tubular or bar stock andbrackets for engagment with the upper and lower edges of the artistscanvas frame are connected in an adjustable manner upon the legs of thecanvas supporting frame, while the free ends of the frame legs arejoined together by the pivot bolt connections and held against collapseby the lateral projections of slide plates held in common with leg endsand the same pivot bolts.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PAIENTED MAR 2 61974 sum 1 0F 2 Thisinvention relates to an artists collapsible wall and table mountableeasel for supporting canvas paintings or the like.

It is the object of the invention to provide an artists easel which isadapted for connection to a wall surface as well as to be supported upona table and wherein the degree of angular relationship of the frameparts determine theinclination of the canvas supporting parts relativeto the base and relative to the wall surface.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsibleeasel having simple means for holding the canvas and base frames of theeasel in their angularly adjusted postions from one another and in sucha manner that they cannot be collapsed on one another when in use.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a collapsibleartist easel formed of two collapsible U- shaped frames held inangularly adjustable positions from one another by the same pivot boltsthat join the frames and by slide plates carried by the same pivot boltand with lateral extension on one of the slide bolts interfittingbetween the frame so that the frames may be positively locked, as wellas being adjustable, against collapse in their adjusted positions,whereby the usual cumbersome long links remote from pivot connection andwith separate bolts will be dispensed with.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a collapsible table andwall mountable artists easel which is inexpensive to manufacture, ofsimple construction, has a minimum number of parts, easy to adjust,light in weight durable, of pleasing appearance, effective and efficientin use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an artists wall and table mountableeasel embodying the features of the invention and with the framesextended and clamped together in a rigid manner to be self-supportingupon a table with illustration being made of a framed canvas on whichthe painting is to be made.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the hingeconnection between upper and lower canvas supporting frame parts andwith illustration being made as to the manner in which the frame partsare collapsed upon one another, this view being taken on line 22 of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical view of the connection of thelower frame part with the supporting base frame with portions of thelower frame part broken away to show the manner in which the adjustablecanvas support bracket is secured to the tubular leg of the lower framepart, the view being taken generally on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a collective perspective and fragmentary view of one of theslide plates and its lateral extension, fragments of the base and canvassupporting frames, a pivot bolt and a winged fastening nut to preventthe collapse of the frames in their different angularly adjustedpositions relative to each other.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the easel supported and hung from awall surface with illustration being made as to the manner in which theinclination of the upper and lower canvas supporting frameparts can beadjusted by the adjustment of the base part with the canvas supportingframe parts and the parts being locked aginst collapse with one anotherby the slidable lock plate.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base and canvas supporting framescollaped upon one another to take up little storage space.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view ofa modified form of the inventionemploying but one canvas supporting frame part, with this frame beingangled upon a base frame and locked in place by slide supports againstangular collapse of the frames upon each other.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevationalview of the lock connectionof the frames when angled with one another, and of one of the framedcanvas holding brackets, the view being taken generally on line 8--8 ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7 andthrough one of the adjustable framed canvas holding brackets.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified framed canvas holderbrackets adjustable upon a leg of the framed canvas supporting framepart.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the easel of FIG. 7 suspended upona wall surface wherein the base frame supports the ease] by engagementwith the wall surface below the hanging connection of the canvas supportpart therewith, the frames being locked by slide plates in theirangularly adjusted position to prevent the collapse of the same one withthe other.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the canvas supporting frame partcollapsed upon the base frame so as to minimize space taken up by theeasel when being stored or transported.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 6, there is shown generally an artists easel15 constructed according to the present invention in such a manner thatthe lower and upper canvas supporting frame parts 16 and 17 when lockedtogether in their extended positions and connected to a base frame 18 insuch a manner that the usual long link braces or brackets for lockingthe parts together against collapse with respect to one another areunnecessary, thereby eliminating detachable space consuming parts.According to this invention, the securing of the easel frame together iseffected at the pivotal connection itself of the frames 16 and 17 withthe base part 18 in the form of slide plates 21 and 22 respectivelyhaving laterally struck projections 23 and 24 that can be located in theangle space between the edges of the lower frame 16 and the base frame18 at any one of a number of positions along the upper edges of the baseframe 18 to positively lock the frame parts against angular collapseupon one another. The lower canvas supporting frame part 16 and the baseframe 18 are of U-shape and their legs are pivotally connected togetherby clamping bolts 26 and 27 and their respective wing nuts 28 and 29.The respective bolts 26 and 27 respectively extend through the slidelock plates 21 and 22 in their respective elongated slots 31 thereof.The plates 21 and 22 are thus secured by respective bolts 26 and 27 insuch a manner that they can be adjusted fore and aft to locate thelaterally struck projections 23 and 24 at different positions along thetop edges of the legs of the base 18 and beneath the lower edges of thelegs of the lower canvas-supporting frame part 16 and positively lockthese frame parts 16 and 17 with respect to the base frame 18 againstcollapse of one with the other as the easel is rested upon a tablesurface or upon the easel being hung upon a wall as shown in FIG. by itsloop 55. The slide plates 21 and 22 are fixed in their positions by thewing nuts 28 and 29 upon the respective bolts 26 and 27 and at the sametime the frames will be held against outward angular displacement withwith respect to one another by a friction tight grip afforded by thetightening of the wing nuts upon their respective bolts.

The canvas-supporting frame part 16 is formed of tubular stock of squaresection. Its legs respectively have elongated slots 32 and 33 extendingupwardly from the lower end thereof and through the top end of the framefor the purpose of receiving framed canvas support brackets 34 and 35that can be adjustably locked upon the legs at different frameelevations for the supporting of the artists canvas frame as indicatedin dotted lines 36, FIG. 1.

These framed canvas support brackets 34 and 35 are generally L-shapewith an upwardly bent lip 37, FIG. 3, and vertical portions 38 which aresecured clamp bolts 39 extending through the respective slots and lockedtight against the undersides thereof by respective nuts 41. At timeswhen the ease] is being collaped, these framed canvas support brackets34 and 35 can be removed by loosening the clamping bolts 39 and pullingthe assemblies outwardly through the top ends of the leg slots when theupper frame part 17 has been collapsed or hinged downwardly upon thelower frame part 16.

The U-shaped upper frame part 17 as best seen in FIG. 2 is connected byits bight end portion 43 to the closed upper bight end portion of thelower frame part 16 by a hinge 42 lying on the rear face thereof. Thisframe part has open legs extending upwardly from the opposite sidesthereof correspondingly to the respective legs of the lower frame part16. The front face of the bight portion 43 of the frame part 17 has aslot 44 for receiving an elongated bolt 45 which extends upwardlythrough the bight portion of the frame part 16 as best seen in FIG. 2and into slot 44 and is tightened by wing nut 46 to thereby lock theframe parts to one another in their extended postions by their bightportions and provide a thereby one elongated framed canvas angledsupport for the framed canvas 36. The legs of the upper frame part 17respectively have elongated slots 47 and 48 that are open at the bightportion 43 and extend upwardly to near the upper ends of the legs.Framed canvas holding brackets 49 and 51 are respectively mounted uponthe legs and respectively held in place in their adjusted positions byrespective clamps bolts assemblies 52 and 53. These framed canvasholding brackets 49 and 51 engage in the reverse manner from brackets 34and 35 with the top edge of the framed canvas 36 and cooperate with thebottom holding brackets 34 and 35 to keep the framed canvas rigid uponthe extended frame parts 16 and 17 and against displacement therefromand in an inclined position when the easel is mounted upon a table andsuch that the artist can easily paint thereupon.

The upper ends of the open legs of the upper frame part l7 joined by atransverse piece 54 that has a loop 55 thereon adapted so that the easelcan thereby be hung on a wall surface and the frame parts 16 and 17retain the framed canvas 36 in an inclined manner as shown in FIG. 5.The inclination of the extended frame parts 16 and 17 can be varied uponthe wall as well as on the table by the slide plates 21 and 22 withtheir respective laterally struck projections 23 and 24 to differentpositions as illustrated in FIG. 5 so that base frame part 18 can beangled closer to frame parts 16 and 17 by pushing the slides 21 and 22further inwardly so that the projection 24 is extended a greaterdistance from the pivot bolts 26 and 27 so that the angle between theframes 16 and 18 is less and thereby allowing the framed canvas to bepositioned at less inclination as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. Theframes cannot collapse so long as the struck projections 24 are locatedbetween the frames 16 and 18 and the slide plates are always availablefor easy adjustment.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 to 12, there is shown a somewhat moresimplified construction than with the form of the invention justdescribed. Instead of two frame parts 16 and 17, this easel indicatedgenerally at has but one frame 61 for supporting a framed canvas 62 andis formed of bar stock bent into U-shape to provide legs extending froma bight portion 63 that has a hanging loop 64. A base supporting frame65 is also formed of bar stock and has a bight portion 66interconnecting its legs. The legs of both frames 61 and 65 are joinedtogether by a through one bolt 67 threaded at its opposite ends toreceive inner wing nuts 68 and outer wing nuts 69. The opposite leg endsof the frames 61 and 65 and slide angle adjusting plates 71 and 72 areheld secure in place upon the rod 67 by the tightening of respectiveinner and outer wing nuts 68 and 69. The slide plates 71 and 72respectively have laterally struck portions 73 and 74 FIG. 12 which arelocated between the opposing edges of the two frames when angled fromone another in a manner best shown in FIGS. 7 and 11 so that the amountof the angle and consequently the degree of inclination of the frame 61for the framed canvas 62 can be altered and put in the most desirableposition with easy manipulation of the slide plates. Each of the plates71 and 72 have elongated slots to which the threaded ends of the bolt 67extend and once the adjustment is made, the clamping wing nuts 68 and 69can be made tight to hold the frames rigidly connected with one anotherand the struck portions 73 and 74 in place to prevent the collapse ofthe frame and thus the framed canvas 62 in the desired inclined positionat all times. With the easel made rigid in this manner, it can be restedupon a supporting surface by its base supporting frame 65 in the mannershown in FIG. 7 or it can be hung by its loops 63 upon a nail 76 in awall surface 77 and with the bight portion 66 of the frame 65 engagingthe wall surface 77, the inclined framed canvas supporting frame 61being locked in its inclined position and against movement relative tothe wall without first adjusting the slide plates.

Upon the legs of the canvas supporting frame 61 are adjustable slidebrackets 78 and 79 for supporting the lower edge of the framed canvas 62and opposing upper slide brackets 81 and 82 that engage the upper edgeof the framed canvas 62 whereby the framed canvas will be secured to theframe 61.

As best seen in FIG. 9, each bracket is held in place upon the legs ofthe frame 61 by a clamp screw 83 that is threaded into a double clawmember 84 that hooks over the edges of the leg of the frame 61 so thatthe clamping screw 83 engages the outer face of the leg to put the claw82 in tight gripping engagement therewith. All brackets 78, 79, 81 and82 have a hooked end 85 as best seen in FIG. 8. In FIG. 10, there isshown a more or less one piece bracket that can be used in lieu of theframed canvas retaining brackets 78, 79, 81 and 82. This bracket has asleeve portion 86 that surrounds the leg bar and carries a clamping bolt87. This sleeve portion 86 has an upstanding tongue 88 with a bent hookend 89.

It should now be apparent that there has been pro vided an artists walland table mountable easel in which the framed canvas supporting frameparts can be angled with respect to base frame and held rigidly in thisangular relationship without the need of long links or struts that areusually used to hold the parts together outwardly at some distance fromthe pivot connection between frames making for many more parts, lesscompact and the parts difficult to manipulate. By the use of the presentslide plates mounted on the pivot bolts the frame parts can be heldangled from one another against collapse at varying angles by merelyadjusting the struck portions of slide plate to different locationsbetween the frame parts thereby allowing for different angularadjustments. It will also be seen that the clamp brackets for the canvascan be readily adjusted to the different size of canvas and clamped tothe legs of the frames for tight rigid engagement of the canvas with thecanvas supporting frame.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An artists collapsible table and mountable easel for supportingcanvassed frames comprising a U- shaped framed canvas supporting framehaving a bight portion and two leg portions extending therefrom and aUshaped base frame having a bight portion and twoleg portions extendingtherefrom and pivotally connectd to the framed canvas supporting frameby their corresponding and respective leg portions pivot bolt meansextending respectively through the ends of the respective joined legportions of the two frames at their pivot connection with one anotherand slotted slide plates having laterally-struck extensions adjacent thepivot connection engageable with the inner edges of the frames adjacentto the pivot connection to prevent the collapsing of the frames one withthe other and while in their adjusted positions and having elongatedbolt receiving slots extending longitudinally thereof said pivot boltmeans for pivotally securing the joined ends of the leg portionstogether serving in common for securing the slide plates to the legportions of the frames in their adjusted positions and clamped togetherwith the pivotal connection of leg portions and support bracketsadjustably mounted on the framed canvassupporting frame and adapted toengage the canvassed frames along their upper and lower edges thereof.

2. An artists collapsible wall and table mountable easel as defined inclaim 4 and said means for securing the slide plates in their adjustedpositions being in common with the pivot connection connecting theframes together, the slide plates having elongated slots through whichthe pivot connection connecting the frames together extends.

3. An artists collapsible wall and table mountable easel as defined inclaim 4and support brackets adjustably mounted on the framed canvassupporting frame and adapted to engage the frame canvas along the upperand lower edges thereof.

4. An artists collapsible table and wall mountable easel for supportingcanvassed frames comprising a framed canvassed supporting frame and abase pivotally connected together for angular adjustment of the canvasframe relative to the base frame, pivot bolt means extending through theends of the two frames at their pivot connection with one another andslide plates having lateral extensions adjacent the pivot connectionengageable with the inner edges of the frames adjacent to the pivotconnection to prevent the collapsing of the frame one with the other andwhile in their adjusted positions and means for securing the slideplates to the frames, said framed canvas supporting frame comprising afirst U-shaped frame part having a bight portion with legs extendingtherefrom for pivotal engagement with the legs of the base frame and asecond U-shaped part having a bight portion hingedly connected to thebight portion of the U-shaped frame part to provide thereby an upwardextension thereof, and clamp bolt means extendable through the bightportions for securing the hingedly connected frames together.

5. An artists collapsible wall and table mountable easel as defined inclaim 4 and U-shaped frame parts being formed of a tubular stock andsaid legs of said frame parts having elongated slots running from theouter ends of the legs and opening at the bight portions thereof, saidslots being adapted to slidably and removably receive adjustable framedcanvas supporting brackets.

6. An artists collapsible wall and table mountable ease] as defined inclaim 4, said second U-shaped frame part having a transverse member atits upper end and connected between its legs and a hang loop therein, sothat upon the easel being hung on a wall surface the end of the baseframe may engage also the wall surface whereby the angle of inclinationof the canvas supporting frame relative to the wall will be determinedfrom the angular adjustment between the supporting frame and the canvassupporting frame and positively maintained thereby.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Pa e o, 3, 799,488 Dated March 26 1974 Inventor(s) JOSEPH DE SENA It is certified thaterror appears in the above-ideritified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [19], "Sena" should read De sena On the cover sheet[76] "Joseph Sena" should read M Joseph De Sena Signed and sealed this13th day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR.

Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 80376-P69 usGOVERNMENT rnm'rmc OFFICE: 190 0-356-aa4.

1. An artist''s collapsible table and mountable easel for supportingcanvassed frames comprising a U-shaped framed canvas supporting framehaving a bight portion and two leg portions extending therefrom and aU-shaped base frame having a bight portion and two-leg portionsextending therefrom and pivotally connectd to the framed canvassupporting frame by their corresponding and respective leg portionspivot bolt means extending respectively through the ends of therespective joined leg portions of the two frames at their pivotconnection with one another and slotted slide plates havinglaterally-struck extensions adjacent the pivot connection engageablewith the inner edges of the frames adjacent to the pivot connection toprevent the collapsing of the frames one with the other and while intheir adjusted positions and having elongated bolt receiving slotsextending longitudinally thereof said pivot bolt means for pivotallysecuring the joined ends of the leg portions together serving in commonfor securing the slide plates to the leg portions of the frames in theiradjusted positions and clamped together with the pivotal connection ofleg portions and support brackets adjustably mounted on the framedcanvas-supporting frame and adapted to engage the canvassed frames alongtheir upper and lower edges thereof.
 2. An artist''s collapsible walland table mountable easel as defined in claim 4 and said means forsecuring the slide plates in their adjusted positions being in commonwith the pivot connection connecting the frames together, the slideplates having elongated slots through which the pivot connectionconnecting the frames together extends.
 3. An artist''s collapsible walland table mountable easel as defined in claim 4 and support bracketsadjustably mounted on the framed canvas supporting frame and adapted toengage the frame canvas along the upper and lower edges thereof.
 4. Anartist''s collapsible table and wall mountable easel for supportingcanvassed frames comprising a framed canvassed supporting frame and abase pivotally connected together for angular adjustment of the canvasframe relative to the base frame, pivot bolt means extending through theends of the two frames at their pivot connection with one another andslide plates having lateral extensions adjacent the pivot connectionengageable with the inner edges of the frames adjacent to the pivotconnection to prevent the collapsing of the frame one with the other andwhile in their adjusted positions and means for securing the slideplates to the frames, said framed canvas supporting frame comprising afirst U-shaped frame part having a bight portion with legs extendingtherefrom for pivotal engagement with the legs of the base frame and asecond U-shaped part having a bight portion hingedly connected to thebight portion of the U-shaped frame part to provide thereby an upwardextension thereof, and clamp bolt means extendable through the bightportions for securing the hingedly connected frames together.
 5. Anartist''s collapsible wall and table mountable easel as Defined in claim4 and U-shaped frame parts being formed of a tubular stock and said legsof said frame parts having elongated slots running from the outer endsof the legs and opening at the bight portions thereof, said slots beingadapted to slidably and removably receive adjustable framed canvassupporting brackets.
 6. An artist''s collapsible wall and tablemountable easel as defined in claim 4, said second U-shaped frame parthaving a transverse member at its upper end and connected between itslegs and a hang loop therein, so that upon the easel being hung on awall surface the end of the base frame may engage also the wall surfacewhereby the angle of inclination of the canvas supporting frame relativeto the wall will be determined from the angular adjustment between thesupporting frame and the canvas supporting frame and positivelymaintained thereby.